One of my favorite “coffee table books” is called Wanderlust – Hiking on Legendary Trails. The book combines maps with information and history of famous hiking trails, and beautiful photography. This post will center on one of the trails from this book!
Interested in other posts on hiking trails? See my post on the Backbone Trail in Los Angeles, California!
Where we are in the world
Kauai is one of the western-most Hawaiian Islands. It is nicknamed the “Garden Isle” because of its lush, tropical landscape. Overall, Kauai is home to some of the most stunning geographic features in the world. Because of this environment, Kauai is home to some of the best hiking in the world – including the infamous Kalalau Trail.
See the interactive Google Map at the bottom of the post!
Three key facts about this map
The Kalalau Trail traverses the infamous Na Pali Coast
The Na Pali State Park is operated by the State of Hawaii and features dramatic cliffs and ridges overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The park is inaccessible by road, so in order to visit travellers must enter through the Kalalau Trailhead. Most visitors only hike the first ~2 miles to Hanakāpīʻai Beach instead of the entire 11 miles of the trail.
The Kalalau Trail is considered one of the most dangerous hikes in the US
With many river crossings that can quickly become flash flood sites, and a specific section of the trail called “Crawler’s Ledge”, the trail has been noted to be one of the most-dangerous hikes in the US. As of 2019, there seems to be more than 100 deaths recorded on the trail.
The Kalalau trail passes by a “naked hippie colony”
In the Kalalau Valley along the trail lives a colony of squatters. The group of “cultural misfits” dates back to the 1960s and has continued to this day. The individuals live illegally and are occasionally kicked off the land by the State of Hawaii Department of Natural Resources officers, but the colony soon after grows back again. The group lives off of the land and scavenging from other tourists who visit the trail every year.
Additional links and sources
- Get the Wanderlust book – it makes an amazing gift! (link)
- Official website of the Kalalau Trail operated by the Government of Hawaii (link)
- Magazine article about the naked hippie colony living on the Kalalau Trail (link, published in 2018)
Do you want to hike the Kalalau Trail in Hawaii?
See other places around the world Globe Charting has featured!
